Slat-operator for shutters



(No Model.)

T. M. FULLER. SLAT OPERATOR FOR SHUTTERS.

Patented Se t. 24, 1895.

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llNrtrEn STATES PATENT tarros.

THEODORE M. FULLER, PATERSON, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND NELSON FREDERICKS,OF HALEDON, NEW JERSEY.

SLAT-OPERATOR FOIR SHUTTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,845, datedSeptember 24, 1895.

Application led February 9, 1895. Serial No. 537,731. (No model.) I

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, THnoDoRn M. FULLER, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slat-Operators forShutters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and cheap device bywhich the slats of shutters can be turned to any desired angle andlocked or fastened in position, which device can be applied to shuttersof various sizes within reasonable limits, so that if the vertical sidebars of a shutter should be somewhat wider apart than the length of theslats to be attached the said device will provide for the difference insize between said parts.

In carrying out -my invention I provide channeled metal plates, whichare placed parallel to the vertical side bars of the shutter and at sucha distance from the inner surfaces of said side bars as to form a spacebetween said plates and said bars.

The accompanying drawings form part of this specification and representwhat I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure lis a face view of a shutter provided with my improvements,showing the slats in the closed position. Fig. 2 is a corresponding viewshowing the slats in the open position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofthe plate provided with the curved slots, which is fastened to one ofthe vertical sides of the shutter. Fig. 4t is a face view of said plate,looking in the direction of the arrow l in Fig. l, showing in dottedlines the slats in the closed position, and thereby illustrating thedilferent relations of the parts. Fig. 5 is a face view of thepivotplate at the opposite side of the shutter, locking in the directionof the arrow 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail face view of the slidingplate having the oblique or inclined slots. Fig. 7 is a perspective viewofthe plate shown in Fig. 5, looking at its interior; and Fig. 8 is aperspective view of the sliding plate. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are takenon an enlarged scale.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in the several views, the letter,/.Andicates the frame of a shutter, which may be of any suitableconstruction, having the vertical side bars A and A2, and B are theslats pivotally carried between said side bars A A2.

C is a plate adapted to lie parallel with the side bar A and may besuitably secured thereto, so as to leave a space between said side barand said plate. The plate C is channeled-that is to say, provided withtwo side webs c, which extend substantially at right angles to the mainportion of the plate, whereby the space between said plate and the sidebar A is covered. The sides c of the plate C are shown provided withlugs c2, having apertures c3 to receive screws 04, by which the plate Ccan be secured to the shutter. By this means also the plate C can beadjusted at a greater or less distance from the vertical side bar A inorder to provide for different lengths of slats B when necessary.

The plate C has a series of apertures c5, adapted to receive pivots Z2,carried by the slats B. The pivots Z) are placed near one edge of theslats B, whereby said slats are eccentrically pivoted incontradistinction to the usual concentric pivots for the slats ofshutters.

The plate C is provided with a series of curved slots D, the curve ofthe slot D being derived around the apertures c5 as a center, therebeing one slot D for each pivot b.

ol are pins carried by the slats B and passing into the correspondingcurved slots D of the plate C, whereby said pins are allowed to travelin the plate C when the slats are turned, the metal at the ends of theslots D serving to limit the motion of the pins d. When these pins d areraised or lowered, they will move the slats B correspondingly, thelatter turning on their pivots b.

E is a sliding plate or bar located in the space between the verticalbarA of the shutter A and the plate C. The plate E is adapted to have asliding movement in the said space, and said plate is provided withoblique or inclined slots e, receiving the pins al of the slats B. Theslots e extend across the slots D of the plate C substantially at rightangles thereto, as shown in Fig. e. When the plate E is raised orlowered, its oblique or inclined slots e will act upon the pins CZ ofthe slats B, and thereby cause said slats to turn on their pivots b, andthe pins d thereupon traverse their respective slots D of the plate C.By this means the slats B can be turned more or less, as desired, toopen or close them, as the case may be.

It is designed that the sliding plate E can be held in any desiredposition, and for this purpose I have shown said plate as provided witha stud F, screw-threaded to receive a thumb-nut G, the sides c of theplate C having a slotf, through which the stud F passes, and in whichslot it travels. The thumb-nut G is adapted to press against the side cof the plate C when screwed down, and by this means serves to hold thesliding plate E locked in any desired position; but of course othersuitable means may be provided for operating the plate E and for holdingit in any desired position.

The vertical bar A2 of the shutter A is also provided with a channeledplate C2, corresponding to the plate C and having similar apertured lugsc2 for connection with the bar A2 ofthe shutter. The plate C2 is alsoprovided with a series of apertures c5 c to receive pivot-pins b2 at theends of the slats B opposite to the pins b, the pins b2 being in linewith the pins b. The plate C2 can be adjusted toward or from the sidebar A2 of the shutter, in accordance with the length of the slats to beused.

By preference the pivots l) b2 `and the operating-pins d of the slats Bwill be made separate from the slats (such as metal pins) and driveninto the slats at the desired points, by which means I am enabled tosave the cost o1' forming the pivots for the slats from the materialofthe slats, as is customary with the slats of ordinary shutters. Theparts C, C2,

and E may be made of tinned iron or other suitable sheet metal of properthickness and can be applied to shutters already in use, or can be madedirectly with the shutters in their manufacture. The parts are so simpleand so readily adjusted that almost any one can apply them to a shutterwithout the necessity ot' calling upon a skilled mechanic for thatpurpose. By setting the pivots b ou which the slats turn near one edgeof their respective slats the pins d may be at a greater distancetherefrom, and thus a greater' leverage can beobtained, the friction dueto the traverse of the several pins d in the oblique slots e beingusually suiiicient to hold the Whole against gravity and Wind and theclamping-arms F G being available to additionally secure them whenrequired,

I do not limit my invention to the precise details of construction shownand described, as they may be varied without departing from the spiritof my invention.

Having now described my inventiomwhat I claim is The combination with ashutter frame and the slats thereof, oi' a pivot plate interposedbetween the side bar of the frame and the slats and provided with pivotholes for said slats, a slat operating bar between the plate and. sidebar, and webs extending from the pivot plate, covering said operatingdevice, and overlapping the side bar, whereby said plate may beadjustably secured to said side bar at variable distances therefrom,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I afiix mysignature in presence ot two witnesses.

THEODORE M. FULLER. Vitnesses:

M. B. HARRIS, M. F. Bovina.

